If only the United States could embrace this lifestyle more. Sure there are farmers markets and other sources of food, but the mighty supermarket and food giants have completely taken over this country. A typical American wants quick and easy, but most of the time that comes with a price to pay. The mass produced food in the U.S. is the majority food source for many citizens, the foods likely are modified and have come from all over the world. Sure they are cheaper than a freshly grown products from a farmers market for example, but we as a nation and society let it come to this. The U.S. has land in variable climates to sustain itself year-round, but that isn't the cost friendly option for right now. Everything seems to be right now, not looking into the future. It is almost as though the country is too far down the road of industrial giants and their mass produced products, that backtracking to a time where we actually produced our own goods is out of the question. The least we can do at this point in time is try to buy local and help sustain what we already have before it's built on or forgotten about.

This is a fine example of people looking out for one another. It might be easier to industrialize their food market but it's more admirable to preserve tradition, help small indigenous business, and try your best at making the country more healthy. I applaud them for doing this.

I think I might want to move to Bolivia one day! Reciprocity is often a term used for corporate culture; you but from me and I'll buy from you type of relationship. This is still true in Bolivia only they do it on a much more personal level. Farmers share equipment, they share crops, seeds and develop a rapport not easily undone by corporations such as McDonald's. Bolivia's multiple micro-climates allow it to grow a wide variety of foods for their citizens, thus making it easier to trade within their circle of neighborhood farmers. "I'll trade you ten pounds of potatoes for five pounds of Quinoa."

The article goes on to state that Bolivians do indeed love their hamburgers, a handful of Subway's and Burger King's still do business there, but the heritage of picking a burger from a street vendor has been passed down by generations. These cholitas, as they are called, sell their fare in the streets of Bolivia and this type of transaction is not easily duplicated by large corporations. I have added Bolivia to my bucket list...

" Whats Bolivia doing so right that McDonalds couldn't make it there?"

Food is not a commericial space here.

Morales, speaking to the United Nations General Assembly in February, slammed U.S. fast-food chains, calling them a “great harm to humanity” and accusing them of trying to control food production globally.

“They impose their customs and their foods,” he said. “They seek profit and to merely standardize food, produced on a massive scale, according to the same formula and with ingredients which cause cancers and other diseases.”

Even still, with one of the lightest carbon footprints in the world, cherished food practices and progressive food sovereignty laws on the books, Bolivia could still be a model to the rest of the world—the United States especially—for a healthier, more community-based food system.

What an insightful read. I never thought of considering our food a s a "commercial space" but that is essentially exactly what it is. Our food has been extremely commercialized. Products our pushed through advertisement continuously. Most of the foods in America are not even real food but food products, factory made. This is absolutely a role model country for how food should be consumed.

New Zealand Haka and response Final Score Wales 9 - 29 New Zealand as i was in the stand it was great to hear the cheering from both side "Same old All Blac...

Brett Sinica's insight:

This video was seen in class a few weeks ago and it had to be shared. Rugby is interesting not only with how tough these guys are, but the level of passion they have when they play for their fellow team and for their country. It is tradition in New Zealand to "Haka", a sense of intimidation leading back centuries when tribes would go to battle or settle disagreements. With a team with all black jerseys, and the meanest looks on their face start the synchronized ritual it can bring goosebumps especially when the huge crowd starts to roar in support.

Scientists model where and when the debris from the March 2011 Japanese tsunami will be. The likelihood that the debris (not radioactive) will reach the U.S. west coast is increasingly likely. Look at the great video attached to the article.

This video showed time elasped which stopped in the summer of 2013, it is now December. At the time of the video the mass was entering the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean so I'm curious to where it is now. I can't find any current imagery of the vast ocean but it would be a neat, yet dangerous spectacle. I could only imagine any of the harm it's causing on the sealife on its way across the pacific. We can only hope that doesn't bring too many issues once it washes up on the west coast, if at all.

Although it's important to know where all of this trash is headed, this just makes me think of how we might prevent this. We can't prevent these catastrophic natural disasters, but how might we lessen it's effects on our cities and settlements? Furthermore, how might we lessen our impact on ecosystems during these times of catastrophe?

It's only called a catastrophe when it hits human populations for a reason, it's not just devastating to us. Remnants of our lifestyle are carried far and wide, able to cause harm on many other species.

An example of how even without considering globalization the world is interconnected. The debris from the 2011 tsunami was never disposed of effectively and the United States may be effected more than they ever expected. If this pile of debris reaches US shores it will make many Americans consider how a tsunami across the globe will eventually hurt them at home.

High-resolution imaging has allowed scientists to produce the first full count of Antarctica's emperor penguins...

Before this, there was no way to to gather reliable penguin statistics. Geospatial technologies are now providing us the tools to teach us more about the biogeography of penguins. The applications of geospatial technologies are endless.

This reminds me of a documentary type show on Discovery Channel called "Penguins: Waddle all the Way". It followed various groups of penguins from Antarctica, Falkland Islands, and Peru with remote controlled camera-weilding look-alikes. It's amazing to see the migration patterns and habits each of the groups have. This technology is virtually harmless and gathers a great deal of data which ties in with geospatial technologies.

In the beginning of the semester we talked about how geography is always changing. Our understanding of geography does as well. This new technology helps people have a clearer picture of the wildlife that exists on Antarctica. Because of its harsh environment the amount we know about this barren continent has been limited. As technology improves we will be able to gain more accurate information about Antarctica.

Using this new technology, animal can be monitored and helped by the satellites. Having a way to accurately know the population of a species is incredible, because now we can know which species are in danger of extinction and we can take steps to help them. Before the use of the satellite, the population of Emperor penguins was found to be 595, 000 and the colonies of penguins was found to be 46 instead of the previous 38, so without this technology there have been penguins that may have needed help, but now they will get proper attention.

Technology never ceases to amaze me. As the article described, the use of satellite imagining recently showed that the “population count” of the emperor penguin is “found nearly twice as many...as did previous studies.” Prior to the use of satellite imaging, the method to obtain this type of data was done by people actually being around the area. As the new numbers showed this was inaccurate because so much of the artic can’t be reached by the human population. I think this brings up an interesting notion. We define our landscape based on what we see. Yet, what we see doesn’t always capture what is actually on earth. As such, I wonder if more penguin colonies have disappeared then the one the British intuition noticed. We won’t know, but at least now thanks to technology a better grasp of the situation can happen. Maybe with more concrete data about the effects of global warming on Antarctic more non-believers could be swayed. All in all, I think the technology is beneficial. The only down side about this technology is the possibility for misuse. If we can now figure out the penguin population down to which ones are adults, imagine just what else this technology can due in the name of “geographic research.”

When you look at Thailand from satellite imagery, it looks as though much of the country has a tannish color which you would think is dry and has less vegetation compared to neighboring countries. The country actual has quite a bit of rainfall, and the suspect for all the dry-looking areas is farming fields for things such as rice. This is serious manual labor with constant bending and speedy methods. Though in a culture, and broader surrounding region that uses rice so frequently in their meals, having these type of farms is necessary to everyday life.

This is a fantastic video that shows the backbreaking work that is done in order to plant the rice in Thialand. It is all planted by hand and done all by the hands of women who make up almost all of the farming in the area. Thailand is one of the main exporters of rice because of their minimal population compared to others but thrives economically on this export.

This video of the rice farming in Thailand shows exactly how hard the rice planting truly is. Here it shows them bending over hour after hour sticking rice plants into the shallow pools. Here in Thailand most of the planters are women. Agriculture is considered the women's job here and have to do all this work themselves. After seeing this it truly is hard work for the mass production of the rice fields so they have a way to export most of this rice they are planting.

This looks to be very tedious work, and very labor intensive. There is not much help, that is probably why they are working at the rate they are working at, very fast. Unfortunately, these people are working in these conditions and probably getting paid only cents a day. On top of that, if the weather is not in their favor, they could possibly catch something, maybe pneumonia or something along the lines.

Jakarta's traffic is legendary and locals have now become experts at finding ways to get around the jams, with some even making money out of them.

The population of Indonesia is heavily concentrated on the island of Java, and the capital city of Jakarta faces a tremendous strain on it's transportation network. This video show that resourceful people will find inventive ways to make an unworkable situation manageable.

I thought Interstate-95 was bad, but this is a whole other level. Locally when people have to wait 15-30 minutes in traffic, it's a nightmare. In Jakarta, if you told them the same thing it would be a national holiday. The population growth not only of the people, but of the automobiles have obviously gotten out of hand and people simply need to get to work, and on time. It's no wonder that there are various rules being bent or broken to try and keep the flow moving as smooth as possible.

The amount of traffic in Jakarta is staggering and the traffic itself has built up a business of making commuting to work easier. What is troubling is that the government hasn't made enough of an effort to fix the problem of traffic in its largest and most economically viable city. If Jakarta wants to keep growing the government has to step in and find a way to make getting to work realistic for Indonesians.

The traffic in Jakarta is insane, to be in a constant standstill on your way to work is unreal. The reporter in the video says that if the city of Jakarta continues on its current path, it could be "in a state of Paralysis" which for an entire city is not good. The traffic has, for some, become a way to make money, illegally but money nonetheless.

Humans instinctively look to profit when the situation arises, this is one of those situations. The government implemented regulations that barely seem to manage the traffic jams, i.e. having 3 people per car. Since people do have to work and may not always be able to meet the requirements, others have started making a living as a “jockey,” an individual who offers to ride in a car so the 3 people limit is met. Doing this is considered illegal. Yet, there aren’t good enough jobs for people to work (otherwise they won’t be a jockey) and those who do work can’t seem to always follow the rule without it harming there work life. Plus, more police now turn their attention towards these people thereby deterring them away from their other duties. I realize that the state probably never intended these consequences to happen, but now that it is I really wonder just how useful this law really is. One thing is certain though, without better planning or economic innovation by the government, the jams will continue to happen.

I find it odd that the people keep staying despite the major traffic problem. As one interviewee mentioned. I guess as long as you can find ways to stay productive and still receive enough compensation, the time spend in traffic isn't enough of a hassle for them. As someone who has enough economic opportunity with far less wait time in traffic though, I would find this situation unbearable. Clearly, this isn't that case though. So, I am not sure of the immediate solution. As we learned in class, the government tried transmigration. This just lead to more problems. It was then suggested that the type of opportunity. If that is the case though, what should the government do now? Waiting for a more natural economic opportunity to get the people out of Jakarta won't happen quick enough to curb the increasing population growth. Therefore the strain on the infrastructure will continue because the population's carrying capacity is exceeded. Whatever the answers, I think this would be a great case study for urban planning and the impact raising car dependency has on a society as this driving nightmare shows just how important planning is with more cars.

One of the hardest reservations to get in the world is a seat at Jiro Ono’s sushi counter, a three-Michelin-star restaurant adjoining the entrance to the Ginza metro station, in the basement of a business building in Tokyo.

Brett Sinica's insight:

This is an article regarding a documentary titled Jiro Dreams of Sushi. The man, Jiro ono is nearing his late 80's and is still a full fledged worker, specifically sushi chef, artist, master. I recently found the documentary on Netflix and my appetite for sushi and Japanese culture then had me hooked. The film follows Jiro in his day to day routine, where he hardly ever takes breaks from work and has become one of the best sushi chefs ever because of his consitency and determination. While watching, I began to think of other cultural and social norms in Japan. One was the health and longevity of the citizens there. Does the nutritional diets and seemingly constant workload and knack for their respective jobs attribute to living a longer and especially mental and physical healthier life? I mean Jiro did have a heart attack due to smoking when he was in his 70's, but he is near 90 years old now and still raising the bar! He also mentions that because he learned to love his job, it makes waking up and working that much easier. On the contrary is the typical American saying "oh damn, I have to go to work, again." From my study of Japanese culture, people are proud of what they do, and people like Jiro change for the better, they adapt and be the best they can be at their particular job. Achieving this trait I feel can help any worker in almost any condition to live a little healthier by having an optimistic and progressive mindset.

The panorama is eery. The trees are dead, there is rubble, it is literally a deadzone. No scary movie or horror story can compare to this type of devastation. The black and white contrast seems to add even more depth to the pictures because of the consistent trend of nothingness. It shows how massive the damage actually was. What I found interesting is the trolley line with people riding bikes or walking on the same road. Thinking of how they walked around after the bombs had dropped must be the strangest feeling because everything around them was simply gone.

The thing that always stumps me about pictures after bombings and other disasters is the reason why some things are left standing. Here we see buildings destroyed and utterly annihilated as far as the eye can see, yet the telephone poles are still standing in some areas. The picture can't capture the true scope of the destruction, but it also shows how destruction is a bit random in its own way.

These images are chilling and sad. The United States is the only country to ever use the Atomic Bomb on another country, a status I am not proud of. We can see why for 60 years people lived in constant fear during the Cold War. Also some would argue that the Atom Bomb has prevented world wars since WWII. It makes you fearful of the one leader who has access to A bombs and chooses to use them.

This is an incredible video because of the shocking footage of blatant disregard for worker safety. This can lead to an interesting discussion concerning how China has been able to have its economy grow. What other ways has China (or Chinese companies) been "cutting corners?" How does that give them a competitive edge on the global industrial market?

This guy is crazy! This just happened to be captured on video but who knows the other stunts that workers go through in the country. The demand and speed of the jobs to be completed don't always take in the safety of the workers. The regulations that are set in place aren't enforced strongly, if at all, which is why you can see this guy dangling from a building. Yet at the end of the day, the job has to be done, and surely this man will not be going home with a bonus check even though he risked his life to keep up with the demanding pace set for the demolition job.

China has one of the strongest economies in the world. However, I think sometimes, China takes that for granted. They think that just because they have a strong economy, they don't have to worry about safe working environments and they have nothing to lose if something happens to someone. As much as I'm sure China gives good paychecks to manufactured workers because of its wealth, there are some jobs, such as this one, that they think they don't have to pay enough. However at the same time, it's not China's fault. Sometimes, it's the workers faults for not using common sense while working, I'm a firm believer in "work smarter, not harder."

Well nobody ever accused China of being a Union favoring country. These people are risking their lives because its their job. This is a country where you have very little leeway to argue for benefits. If they want to do this, then come to the US. Although I wonder why they don't just use dynamite? Faster and few people are involved.

Based on the video and the safety of the Chinese workers they tame no precautions to staying safe. If they have this much lack of safety for themselves then how do they regard the safety of the people around them. As China is and has cities up and coming to mega cities with high rises and exponential expanding then how do they create their buildings? As fast as they went up and the city was created then how stable are their buildings?

Despite calls for boycott by an alliance of 33 parties, voter turnout is expected to be high as the country is in grips of election fever.

Brett Sinica's insight:

Today was voting day in Nepal. Two words: divided and voting. These two words when put together can be edgy. We've seen it in Egypt where various parties have extreme differences and have even taken extreme measures. To further the research of this article, there had also been a bomb that went off earlier today in the capital of Kathmandu. There has been many government forces deployed and though some people are honestly just trying to get their vote in, there are other extremists who have other intentions. These ethnic divides translate into politics, and within recent years, many of these conflicts end up bloody. It's a sad issue of the past and present, and it shows that even though these people live within the same political boundaries, they are on completely different ends of the political and ideological spectrum.

This is an inspiring project that seeks to elevate poor slum-dwelling Indians by providing educational resources to children. As free computer terminals are made available, their literacy skills soar and possibilities are widened. Visit the projects homepage at: http://www.hole-in-the-wall.com/ ;

As a child, most of us probably didn't particularly learn through technology or computers but through other hands on methods. In these slums, getting school supplies which we are fortunate to have may not be so easy. There are just so many people and living conditions make it harder for each child to be benefit equally. That being said, these computers just might benefit the youth in the long run. It might not be traditional, or even equal at times yet it is a type of improvisation that can probably be helpful. In the video you could see the kids waiting in line, wanting to use the touchscreen, wanting to learn. It is an abstract approach to education, but with the growth and diversity, it just might work effectively.

I think the hole in the wall program is a positive outcome for the children. They are learning to work cooperatively with others. They are also learning to play and work with programs that are used frequently in other areas of the world. These children may not have resources to teach them vocabulary, or phonics, or the alphabet but with these computers that are able to learn. As they learn they can then teach others, it is has a great educational value to help later in their lives. These children also get to see other parts of the world. They don't just see their world of poverty but it will also get them to think and view life with more light and better views.

In the United States we take for granted the resources that are so easily accessed like computers. In this poor neighborhood in India, a computer was put in a wall and the children taught themselves how to use the computer. These slum kids don't have the tools needed to get out of poverty. Given them these computers may seem like a drop of water in the bucket but it is an important step.

I recently did a project on the topic of megacities in the past, present, and future and how the natural risks they posed. In past decades there was Tokyo, New York City, or even Mexico City. I also covered present cities such as Shangai and Los Angeles to name a few. The city that basically topped the growth charts in my statistics was Dhaka. The city literally is growing like a chia pet, but with no direct plan or proper use of land. According to future calculations, the city of Dhaka can reach roughly 23 million by 2025, that's about 600,000 new people coming in every year up until that point. This video is just an example of how poorly planned this megacity is, and what the future holds for all of the people living there. It's simply chaos. There are already squatter settlements and unorganized living conditions for the current residents, picturing the population to grow even more is outrageous!

The city of Dhaka has experienced a massivie boom in population. Both the rich and the poor are flowing into this city causing many problems that all complain the government is ignoring instead of fixing. The city is very inefficient, with traffic so bad that it is costing the city millions of dollars. There are frequent water shortages resulting in protests in the streets. There is much infrastructure throughout the city as well. But it is also represents a sense of hope to the people that are coming in and moving into the slums, that with the better jobs and money they will be able to get they can better provide for themselves or their family.

Dhaka is the fastest growing city in the world, as rich and poor people move to the city everyday. So many poor people are moving here due to the fact there is no other place worth living in Bangladesh. The city is facing many problems, such as lack of traffic signals, minimal clean drinking water for residents and horrible housing for many people. However, some feel the city’s slums offer the best chance for an improved life.

There is a lot of poverty and pollution in Dhaka. The demands for energy and water are high in Dhaka as well. I personally don't see how these people and migrants can live in such a polluted and dirty place and the reason why I can't imagine living in such a place is because I never have. I'm lucky enough to not experience poverty and I greatly appreciate my life and home. Hopefully things improve in Dhaka and places like Dhaka. Hopefully there will be less pollution and poverty in the future any where in the world.

It's sad to see the lifestyle in the areas plagued by pirates. There are even videos of young kids being interviewed with questions such as "what do you want to be when you grow up?" They respond with "a pirate". The lifestyle is almost recognized as a rebellious hero in some aspects; you ride around on boats, with big guns, and get to do some very risky things to get rich and powerful. Sounds like an interesting action movie, but in reality it is an extremely illegal and dangerous lifestyle. These people put their lives on the line to not just be powerful or rich, but to survive. In some cases it is a way out of the poverty and jobless way of life, yet when people need to survive, they can do some not-so-friendly things.

The new African country, founded in part to escape from the northern government's violence, is showing some hostility of its own.

Independence for ethnic/religious groups, while culturally satisfying, does not necessarily solve all the problems within a region. South Sudan's 1-year anniversary shows that even though they have a short history, it has been marked by ineffective governance and social instability.

This is probably a bad comparison, but say an expansion sports team has just been created for the new upcoming season. There are new players, new equipment, and new managers to run the team. Many of these new areas probably have little to no experience with each other professionally, so therefore flaws are inevitable. In a way, the only way to go is up and mistakes which surely will be made can be used to change for the better in the future. That being said, a new country with new officals, flags, and economy to name a few are all in a "trial run." No one should expect them to suddenly become prosperous and great over a few years span. Just like a new team, a country takes time to develop, people to gain comfort, and regulations and norms for people to follow. I mean, even Rome wasn't built in a day.

The fighting between the Republic of Sudan and south Sudan belongs to a different category of armed conflict, a product of internal politics and external pressures suspisons both real and imagined that launched an uncontrollable war, a war that could have been prevented.

This shows that gaining your independence might be hard, but the actual creation of the new state is harder. Sometimes the new governement will impose the same methods the old "mother" country used that caused the split int he first place. They need to ask themselves the hard questions about their actions: Are we turing into the old country? Are we swapping one repressive and agressvie government for another? Again one needs to look to the past, learn form it and not make the same mistakes..or else what I like saying...history will repeat itself.

This war could have been prevented. The Republic of Sudan and South Sudan are fighting over problems that may or may not exist. Independence does not always solve the problems within a region, as shown in the case of South Sudan.

March 26, 2012—In a state-of-the-art submersible, National Geographic explorer-in-residence and filmmaker James Cameron reached the deepest point of the Mariana Trench, breaking a world record for the deepest solo dive.

When the show South Park has made an entire episode based around you, you've certainly done something extraordinary. James Cameron not only risked his life, but proved a point and set a new standard in underwater exploration. In a way, he literally went to the bottom of the earth, something that has been a mystical feat until now. With technology advancing so quickly and people constantly pushing limits and standards it makes us wonder what will be discovered next.

This is amazing! I love the fact there isalways one person willing to rishk his own life just to gain more knowledge of the world we live in. The Mariana Trench is definteley a scary place and by it being the deepest trench in the world, I can see why not many would consider going down there. I am looking forward to the release of any videos that may come from this expedition he took. - M. Carvajal

It is mind boggling how much of our oceans are still to be discovered. Cameron's journey here is one that needs to be taken all over the world. We have more ocean that is unexplored than explored. We may also find some answers to fundamental questions to human existence if we are able to research the deep sea more effectively. It is hard to believe we have been able to research 36,000 feet below and still have more questions than answers.

This is a really cool video, the pressure that exist at the bottom of the ocean has kept humans trapped above a certain depth. Today technology has let us explore areas that have been off limits in the past. Letting an influential filmmaker like Cameron do this is a way to raise awareness about these expeditions to the pop culture obsessed audiences around the world.

In the 1960s when the island of Surtsey (literally) erupted onto the scene off the coast of Iceland, it's national sovereignty was not really called into question. The seamount, or near island named Ferdinandea in the Mediterranean is not even an island yet and countries are already positioning themselves to claim it. Only 6 feet below sea level, this seamount is incredibly valuable real estate because is a country can successfully came this territory, they could also lay claim to an Exclusive Economic Zone, extending up to 200 nautical miles beyond the coast.

These soon-to-be island would sure make one interesting auction. Many of the small landforms in the world, and especially Pacific have always been contested by powerhouses such as China, Japan, or other smaller countries. Having control isn't for the island itself necessarily but for what the ocean waters surrounding the landform may contain. It could be fishing, trade routes, or even oil or natural gas settlements. It makes it even more intersting when many of these underground landforms are possible volcanoes considering the majority of active volcanoes are underwater and near the ring of fire.

When I read something like this all I can think is maybe this is what happened to Atlantis. What if Atlantis was an island like this that existed just long enough for people to build a society on and then it sank beneath the sea. Another think this makes me think of is the novel “Jingo” by Terry Pratchett, in it an island rises from the sea and leads to a war over which country owns it. This is just an interesting phenomenon that leads to world arguments.

The EEZ policy that exist has made every space up for contentious conflict. The miles off the coast of Surtsey and other small islands have become valuable because of EEZ and conflict exist over islands that are uninhabited and useless. Economic geography can influence political geography when it comes to these small island and their exclusive economic zone.

Claims for a volcanic-induced mass of land? In this day and age, one would hope that something like this would not lead to a long and drawn-out dispute. There is much more pertinent issues present in this world.

How about this for an idea? Let's leave the "island" neutral and allow it it to be used as a temporary destination for whomever visits it. It should be protected and preserved by everyone interested but not so much that visitors cannot temporarily explore and enjoy the island.

Location: Mr. Bourdain kicked off a new round of episodes last night with Laos. As one of the last 'untouched' destinations of Southeast Asia, Laos

Brett Sinica's insight:

My typical Tuesday consists of waking up, and going to play soccer at Brown University. I drive from my Elmhurst apartment through downtown, then over to the campus on the East Side of Providence. Last week, it was quite cold yet a man on the sidewalk caught my eye with just a plain black t-shirt which read "I (heart) Laos". Fair enough. I finished playing and came back to make lunch where I turn on the television and here is Anthony Bourdain traveling through Laos. This was a strange coincidence so I had a feeling I should watch! Come to find out, the country sat in the shadows through much of the last century with conflicts such as the Vietnam war. Laos, technically not even in the war was still held victim to all of the bloodshed which occured. In the episode, Bourdain visits a man and his family, yet the man had come in contact with an un-detonated bomb left over from the war and had to be amputated. Myself, as well as Bourdain who is tough as steel, seemed to get emotional from the story of him and many other people in the country that fall victim to a war they had nothing to do with. There are supposedly millions of un-detonated bombs in the fields and close to villages that are trying to be located and desposed of. Just to think of having to be cautious walking or playing in a field from something your country wasn't apart of, or you weren't even born for is truly saddening.

A former gang member from Long Beach, California, teaches break dancing to at-risk youth in Cambodia.

This video is a great example of cross-cultural interactions in the era of globalization. Urban youth culture of the United States is spread to Cambodia through a former refugee (with a personally complex political geography). What geographic themes are evident in this video? How is geography being reshaped and by what forces?

Off subject, but I recently started watching "My Name is Earl", a tv show which is based around karma and redoing wrongs in life. On a serious note, people who have done wrong in their lives to turn around and try bettering themselves and others around them is very admirable. When people normally think of helping the poor, its ship them some food and clothes and that's that. It's much more than that though, you have to help them help themselves. What "KK" has done has brought something he loves, and shares it with youth that can gain interest from it. Breakdancing acts as a foundation to further learning such as books and computers, this leads to improvement and long-term effects.

I thought this was a good video because it talks about a person who was probably living in the u.s. all his life and got hooked on the wrong side of the track and now forced to leave the u.s. The good news is he is seeing a country he was probably born in and never saw. he is able to bring with him some American culture such as breakdancing, music, his tattoos his English language. At the same time he is going to learn his culture.

this is a wonderful example of someone giving back to their adoptive [if ancestral] home. this is a good way to keep kids out of trouble while also introducing them to a new culture and style of dance.

this is great, making the best of a bad situation and working with kids to make sure that they do not make the same mistakes as you did is a great thing. also the examples of cultural diffusion or great as well. everyone knows that there is nothign better for kids growing up than to be a part of after school programs where they can continue to learn different things.

This guy is super quick, he has seen his day but he is surely a legend especially in the Philippines. When it is hard for people in poverty to have in interest in something, due to lack accessibility or other reasons, it is good to have someone to look up to. Pacquiao can act as role model to not only people in poverty, but for anyone who is willing to work hard to succeed. I have always believed that sport can bring anyone together, but resources such as a ball or equipment may be hard to come by. Boxing is great in this situation, all you essentially need is your body and something to hit.

For those who live in poverty access to skills that allow for upward mobility and prosperity are limited. So even though the odds of becoming a world class boxer are slim, it seems more attractive than being a poor farmer for the rest of your life. In poor areas like the Philippines young people hope to become more wealthy and the opportunity to do is so small that they will train for that one in a million chance of making it as a professional boxer.

Inspirational video, as i see a group of young men who inspire to be one of the greatest fighters to come out of the Philippines. Its a very good story and for them to have this dream to make it out with boxing its very aspiring to anyone who has a dream to become a doctor, scientists, basketball player or anything. Its all about hope and this young men have that. Escaping poverty is difficult and very tough and one day we hope to see many more good fighters from all across the globe to represent their countries just like Manny Pacquiao did.

i think this a great for a whole country of young men can have a great roll model like manny to model themselves after, what is best about this is that he got great doing somthing that is still important to their culture. he also never forgot where he came from and still have great influence in culture and politics of his home.

"In 1979, the National Population and Family Planning Commission in China enacted an ambitious program that called for strict population control. Families in various urban districts are urged to have only one child—preferably a son—in order to solve the problems related to overpopulation. What has happened since then and what are its implications for the future of China?" This is an excellent infographic for understanding population dynamics in the world's most populous country.

This was a cool graphic to explain the basics of the birth policies in China. As a country, it is respectable for them to try and control their global footprint and growth within the country, yet some of the measures that are taken to achieve or sustain them are slightly questionable. One of the graphics displayed having one child compared to more than one, which were have the chance of being followed by fines, confiscations of belongings, and even job loss. In a sense, by having more (a child) they actually get less (money, goods, respect). The goal of reducing the birth rates had actually worked since it was put in place, though it didn't come without some sort of an expense of the citizens.

Very simple and easy to interpret graph on the One child policy in China. When thinking about the "has it been successful" section I was troubled. Yes the government came close to its goal of 1.2 Billion but do so they prevented 400 million births. So its successful because they almost hit the mark but at what costs? Natal policies can leave countries without enough people to repopulate the workforce, we have to keep this in mind. Controlling population is a dangerous project..

Great infographic on the One Child Policy. Based on the birth rates in other countries in the East Asia region, how much demographic change may there have been in China without the implementation of this policy?

This is actuallty very believable considering the population growth that China has experienced. It only makes sense that the more people there are, the more meat will be consumed. It is part of their cuisine to include meat. Pork and chicken are among many of the popular proteins which are found on their dishes. There is also the expansion to go along with all of the growth. The landscape of the eastern part of the country has become more agriculturally accomodating for crops and livestock alike. Therefore to match the trend of growing population, is the need to match it with meat and other foods.

China's meat demand is being met by importing meat. As the standard of living rises more of China's population are looking to branch out in regards to their diet, what is interesting is that this is also an example of cultures blending. Food is a great indicator of cultural diffusion. As China becomes more globalized we are seeing their diet and consumption patterns becoming less local and tradition.

Saying and agreeing to peace is one thing, yet actually going through with it is another. I'm sure both countries don't want any conflict, yet there are just so many divides regarding identity it could be hard for people near the borders to follow suit. In an area with tension and "the others" mentality, moving towards a more tolerant approach for people on the other side of the border could take time. As mentioned, maybe younger generations have a better chance in solving relations by practicing more friendly approaches. It would be great to see these two countries find a solid peaceful ground considering all of the tension they've had in the past.

The results of India's once-in-a-decade census reveal a country of 1.2 billion people where millions have access to the latest technology, but millions more lack sanitation and drinking water.

More Indians are entering the middle class as personal wealth is transforming South Asia's economy in the private sector. Yet the government's ability to provide public services to match that growth still lags behind. Why would it be that it is easier to get a cell phone than a toilet in India? What will that mean for development?

This ratio is strange, yet somewhat easy to believe. India, a country with a large fraction of the world's population can easily benefit from technology. Cell phones and other electronics are easy to come by, can easily be replaced, and are always steadily available with new releases. On the other hand is sewage systems and water supplies. In a region that lacks "proper" living conditions due to the growth of people and increase of city living and slums, it would be hard to keep up with the a demand of toilets and running water. It is basically impossible to accomodate everyone with a bathroom, the resources just aren't available. In a nutshell, it's easier to buy a handheld device than to buy a toilet system.

This sound clip highlights an interesting issue today in India, as the population has exploded the logistics to support these people is nonexistent while access to modern technology is present. Its an odd concept that one can readily find cheap accessible technology such as cell phones or TVs yet something as basic as a toilet or running water is out of reach for many. This is the problem when a population expands faster than it is possible to increase its logistical capacity.

With the lack of toilets and the uprising in the use of cell phones in India, the sanitation and living standards of the people of the country are lacking which in turn comes to a place of hazard. With more people moving into the country and from other areas it is causing a massive uprise in the use of technology but government funding and jobs do not create enough money to continuously keep up with the upgrades needed in sanitation and public safety.

"The name of the country Pakistan has a fascinating history - it is essentially an acronym! Prior to 1947, the country now known as Pakistan was a British colony. In 1947 the United Kingdom granted independence to the region under a new name, Pakistan. The name had been developed by a group of students at Cambridge University who issued a pamphlet in 1933 called Now or Never."

In a country with such great ethnic divisions, a common religion is a powerful nationalizing force. As the capital city of Islamabad's toponym powerfully states (the house or abode of Islam), religion remains an important element of national identity for Pakistanis.

When you take in the way that the British Empire controlled many colonies and tried to spread their culture to such diverse regions, it is no suprise that Pakistan was named essentially by a game of Scrabble. I suppose the naming is somewhat creative and certainly unique compared to how other countries get their names, yet just picturing a group of colleagues naming a country is strange. Though the U.K. did grant them independance, how independant were they really if they weren't even given the right to name their own land.

Pakistan is simply abbreviated from it's nations or nations that border Pakistan. P stands for Punjab, A stands for Afghania, K stands for Kashmir, I stands for Iran, S stands for Singh, T stands for Tukharistan, A stands for Afghanistan. However, there is no "N." Instead we classified the last letter as Balochistan but because "stan" is the Persian pronunciation for "country." Pakistan decided to abbreviate "N" as a silent so they can successfully abbreviate "Pakistan" instead of "Pakista."

Re-scooped from Professor Dixon, primarily for how ridiculous it is. Most of us figured there was some decent reason (like the neighboring 'Stan's) for why and how Pakistan got its name. Nope, there really wasn't any good reason to name it Pakistan, it is an acronym. One that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Until reading this, I thought this was another country that had a "stan" name just like the rest. I never knew that Pakistan received it's makeshift name my a bunch Cambridge University students. It is composed of lands taken from homelands: Punjab, Afghania,, Kashmir, Iran , Sindh, Tukharistan, Afghanistan, and balochistaN.

Lesotho, is rarely talked about if ever. It is a landlocked country but South Africa. Mainly a rural country, around 40% of its 2 million inhabitants live below the poverty line of $1.25 a day. Yet what is unique about this small country is the unity they seem to have. Around 90% of the people are Christian, virtually everyone is in the same ethnic group being Basotho as well as speaks the same language being Sesotho. All of these similarities are a change compared to the divided countries to the north. The health issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS are quite devestating, though there is education to be provided for the growing youth. As 85% of the people are literate, it shows that the country has hope. It is refreshing to see that though there are some countries in Africa that are torn but differences and disease, the people of Lesotho are trying to make the lives of their people as best as possible.

We all love chocolate. We all love diamonds and jewels. In western worlds, these items are easily come by in grocery stores and elsewhere, but what got them there was a challenge. People in poorer tropical regions around the world worked to get the raw goods of these delicate items we all enjoy. The payout difference is immense from cocoa to chocolate. It is sometimes a very crooked market where if it wasn't for the hard working people who get the raw ingredients, chocolate as we know it wouldn't be the same.

This artical is about the origin of where cocoa beans are harvested from and sent to around the world. It also adds the amount of cocoa beans harvested in each area.It is a quick overview of where the transportation of cocoa beans starts.

The page is an excellent site for quickly reviewing where cocoa beans are grown and transported from.

The site is relevant to my page because it informs the reader of where cocoa originates and the quantities it's farmed in.

Sharing your scoops to your social media accounts is a must to distribute your curated content. Not only will it drive traffic and leads through your content, but it will help show your expertise with your followers.

Integrating your curated content to your website or blog will allow you to increase your website visitors’ engagement, boost SEO and acquire new visitors. By redirecting your social media traffic to your website, Scoop.it will also help you generate more qualified traffic and leads from your curation work.

Distributing your curated content through a newsletter is a great way to nurture and engage your email subscribers will developing your traffic and visibility.
Creating engaging newsletters with your curated content is really easy.